The Astellas Global Health Foundation Leaders Visit Supported Mental Health Projects
The Astellas Global Health Foundation (Foundation), Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) and other AMPATH partners are working together to improve diagnosis and care for youth and adults with mental health challenges and improve community understanding of these conditions.
Leaders of the Foundation from the US and Japan recently visited the MTRH Nawiri Recovery & Skills Centre and other mental health outreach activities in Kenya to see the impact their support is having in providing urgently needed mental health services to western Kenya.
Shingo Iino, PhD, President of the Astellas Global Health Foundation, and Vice President, Sustainability at Astellas and Angelique Lewis, Vice President of Astellas Global Health Foundation and Senior Director, Access to Health, Sustainability at Astellas, toured the MTRH Nawiri facility and other mental health programs. They met with staff and residents to hear firsthand how the two Foundation grants totaling more than USD$2.4 million are providing mental health outreach, training and care.
“Our support of AMPATH’s work to improve access to mental health services and health outcomes through Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital is particularly meaningful to us because it was one of the first financial grants made by the Astellas Global Health Foundation when we launched in 2018,” said Mr. Iino. “We are honored that our initial grant and a second grant are helping to change the lives of people with mental health disorders in Kenya. The MTRH Nawiri Recovery & Skills Centre exemplifies what it means to sustainably improve people’s lives.”
Through the AMPATH Kenya partnership, the Foundation awarded an initial three-year USD$1.35 million grant in 2019 to expand mental health support. Working with MTRH, the grant provided funds to build the Nawiri Centre, the first recovery home and skills center in Kenya for men and women with severe mental health disorders. Additionally, the grant supported capacity building and mentorship of healthcare workers in primary care settings, provided for community awareness on mental health and supported community-based alcohol support groups. A portion of the initial grant was also re-allocated to support mental health services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant impacted an estimated 400,000 people.
“We are grateful for the Astellas Global Health Foundation as we seek to reduce stigma and improve mental health care access,” said MTRH CEO Dr. Wilson K. Aruasa, EBS, MBS. The Nawiri Recovery & Skills Centre, which provides mental health patients with opportunities for economic development skills, is one of MTRH’s innovative concepts. It is a transitional home for mental health patients that integrates healthcare provision and economic empowerment and is the solution to a missing link between the transition of mental health and community integration. “We are proud to be your partners in leading the way with care for people living with mental illness,” he told the Foundation leaders. In addition to the Nawiri Centre, MTRH has an 80-bed inpatient service, 38-bed Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Unit, two outpatient clinics, a weekly staff clinic, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and conducts outreach in the community.
In 2022, the Foundation provided an additional USD$1.07 million over three years to continue supporting AMPATH’s work to improve access to mental health services and health outcomes for youth, adolescents, and adults in Kenya, expecting to impact more than 200,000 more lives.
“Our partnership with AMPATH Kenya is such an important relationship for us. The important work from AMPATH aligns with our commitment at the Astellas Global Health Foundation to support efforts that improve access to mental health and help address the lack of proper diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.” added Ms. Lewis. “In all, experiencing this truly groundbreaking work in Kenya was transformative. The power of this progress can serve as important inspiration for all of us working to help make a positive difference in expanding health access to people who need it most.”
Edith Kwobah, MBChB, MMED, head of mental health at MTRH and Matthew Turissini, MD, from the Indiana University School of Medicine are co-principal investigators for the Foundation’s grant and work together to lead the AMPATH mental health initiatives and conduct research to define the challenges for people living with mental illness in Kenya. Florence Jaguga, MBChB, MMed, consultant psychiatrist at MTRH and Julius Barasa, program coordinator, and a team of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists and community health volunteers power the mental health initiatives throughout western Kenya. In person and online training and mentoring are building mental health capacity for primary health care providers.
“Research shows a high burden of mental illness in Kenya with depression, anxiety disorders and substance use disorders being the most common challenges. Limited resources and limited services hamper the ability for people to access care,” said Dr. Kwobah. “AMPATH’s community efforts focus on case identification and linkage. Using a customized tool, the AMPATH team screens for depression, psychosis, anxiety, alcohol and substance use disorders and suicidality. Referrals and linkage to care are made for those who need it. We hope to destigmatize mental illness and promote health-seeking behavior.”
Community based support groups with 10-15 members gather weekly for peer led meetings based on the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Economic empowerment through table banking (microfinance) and agribusinesses are part of the groups.
“The new grant is an exciting next step for us as we continue to develop, implement, and sustain a mental health care program in the public health system in western Kenya that improves access to services and health outcomes for vulnerable adolescents, youth, and adults,” concluded Dr. Turissini.
About the Astellas Global Health Foundation
The Astellas Global Health Foundation is a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation that awards grants to support charitable purposes with a focus on improving access to health in underserved global communities, building resilient communities and providing disaster support in order to make a sustainable impact on the health of people around the world, working toward “One World, A Healthier Tomorrow.” The Foundation’s grants are made to charitable programs outside of Astellas Pharma Inc.’s (Astellas) therapeutic areas, in low- to middle-income countries where Astellas does not have a business presence, and in alignment with Astellas’ corporate sustainability focus on Access to Health and consistent commitment to making a sustainable impact on the health of vulnerable populations around the world. To learn more about the Astellas Global Health Foundation please visit www.astellasglobalhealthfoundation.org.